A three-hour battle at sea will occur next weekend in Morro Bay, and the public's invited to attend.

Two tall ships, the Lady Washington, star of the first “Pirates of the Caribbean” movie, and the Hawaiian Chieftain will dock Thursday in Morro Bay to offer Central Coast residents an opportunity to tour the vessels and learn about sailing in the 1700s.

The event is sponsored by Grays Harbor Historical Seaport, a Washington group dedicated to preserving maritime history of the Pacific Northwest.

The Lady Washington is a 112-foot reproduction of the original boat of the same name that sailed the Atlantic and Pacific oceans and was named for Martha Washington.

The replica brig was built in 1989 and featured in the “Pirates” movie.

The Hawaiian Chieftain is a 103-foot topsail ketch and an interpretation of an European trading vessel common in the late 1700s.

It was built in 1988 and features two 75-foot masts.

Advertisement

The ships will be in Morro Bay for five days, and there will be limited hours during that time when the public can tour the ships at the Sub Sea Tours, 699 Embarcadero.

Tour hours are at 4 p.m. Thursday, 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. Friday and 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday. Local schools will also be invited to come aboard the ships Sunday to learn about sailing.

Also, two three-hour battles are planned, complete with cannon fire and an opportunity to learn about sailing from the crew, from 2 to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

Reservations are recommended for the battles and can be made by calling toll-free (800) 200-LADY or by visiting www.historicalseaport.org.

Tickets for the battles are $60 for adults, $50 for students and active military and $40 for children under 12 years.

Dockside tours are free, but a $5 donation is recommended.